Local student selected for elite journalism internship

Jul. 16—College student Ella Hutcherson, from Coos Bay was selected for a prestigious paid internship that places promising student journalists in media outlets across Oregon. Hutcherson, who graduated from North Bend High School in 2019, is a journalism major at the University of Oregon's School of Journalism and Communication. She will be working as a reporting intern for the Jefferson Public Radio in Ashland, Oregon, this summer.

The internship is part of the 10-week Charles Snowden Program for Excellence in Journalism. Students are handpicked for these competitive internship opportunities for their remarkable reporting experience, commitment to ethics, exceptional academic performance and deep passion for journalism.

Hutcherson has enjoyed her time working for the University of Oregon's student-led Ethos Magazine and the local alt-weekly, Eugene Weekly, while pursuing her journalism degree. She is eager to make new connections and learn new skills in this internship before transitioning to another news or magazine publication, or radio station, to continue her professional career.

Hutcherson applied because she was ready to take the next step by working for a full-time professional publication.

"I hope to gain audio reporting experience, get to know a new community, and create some new, exciting work," she said.

Not only do Snowden interns receive true on-the-job experience while helping to make a real difference in the communities they serve, but they also receive a stipend to help cover living expenses. Many of the program's community-based media partners don't have budgets to pay interns, and many students can't afford to take an unpaid internship. The stipend allows for more equitable access to internships for the students and for the participating media outlets.

The interns, working as reporters, photographers and multimedia journalists, practice working under deadline in a real newsroom while they gain experience, clips and contacts that can help catapult them into a career as a journalist.

The Charles Snowden Program for Excellence in Journalism was established by the Snowden family to honor the life and career of Charles Snowden, a longtime editor at the Oregon Journal and The Oregonian. Snowden is remembered as a top-notch editor and mentor for young journalists, and the endowment has funded over 300 internships for students since 1998.

Snowden interns have landed jobs at top media outlets across the country, including the Associated Press, The Seattle Times, The Oregonian, The Los Angeles Times and National Public Radio.

"The Charles Snowden Program for Excellence in Journalism sends a total of 20 interns to community news organizations across Oregon," said Nicole Dahmen, the co-coordinator of the program and professor at University of Oregon's School of Journalism and Communication. "This opportunity for the interns and news partners comes at an extraordinary moment when local journalism has never been more important."

Hutcherson is one of 20 students selected for the 2023 Snowden internship program. The cohort also includes the following students from the University of Oregon's School of Journalism and Communication, working for media outlets throughout the state: Bentley Freeman at the Baker City Herald, Chrissy Booker at The Columbian, Sophia Cossette at the Portland Tribune, Chrissy Ewald at KLCC, Brienna Haro at the Ben Bulletin, Jeremiah Hayden at Street Roots, Krista Kroiss at Pendleton East Oregonian, Nicholas LaMora at the Portland Tribune, Hannarose McGuinness at Roseburg News-Review, Janea Melido at Redmond Spokesman, Jacob Moore at Willamette Week, Ilene Morrisette at KEZI, Angelo Paoli at the La Grande Observer, Caden Perry at Oregon Public Broadcasting, Hannah Seibold at the Roseburg News-Review, Natalie Sharp at the Salem Reporter, Abby Sourwine at the Daily Astorian, Madelyn Stellingwerf at The Oregonian and Berit Thorson at Salem Capital Press.

The cohort also includes students from other four-year universities in Oregon: Chrissy Ewald from Willamette University will intern at KLCC, Brienna Haro from University of Portland will intern at Bend Bulletin, Jeremiah Hayden from Portland State University will intern at Street Roots, Janea Melido from University of Portland will intern at Redmond Spokesman, Angelo Paoli from Oregon State University will intern at La Grande Observer and Natalie Sharp from Oregon State University will intern at the Salem Reporter.

Visit https://snowden.uoregon.edu to learn more.